0501: Trulli is out after suffering a gear box problem and will start 10th on the grid. Montoya changes his tyres early and puts in a very quick banker. McLaren are in business.

0449: The cars come out for the final 20-minute shoot-out. The sun is back out again. The cars will spend the majority of the session running down fuel before launching into one flying lap at the end.

0446: The rain starts to fall in Melbourne, meaning the teams will have to make some difficult tyre decisions.

0443: Michael Schumacher is eliminated after the second qualifying session, along with Coulthard, Liuzzi, Klien, Rosberg and Massa. Button just squeezes in in eighth. Schumacher appeared to lose a brake cooler exiting the pits.

0438: The cars come out again and get ready to launch into their flying laps. Michael Schumacher looks to be struggling for pace in his Ferrari.

0435: Honda are making all sorts of adjustments to Button's car in the pits. Button is currently last in the standings, but there are more than five minutes remaining of the second session.

0430: Massa spins off and is out. The red flag comes out. 0415: Barrichello, Albers, Speed, Monteiro Sato and Ide are eliminated after the first session.

0411: The Ferrari duo of Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa and Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella are all out on track.

0410: The session gets underway again after a short delay while Ide finds reverse and gets back into action.

0407:Ide of the Super Aguri team finds himself in trouble on the track and the session is stopped.

0400: Qualifying begins at Albert Park with Toro Rosso's Liuzzi one of the first drivers out on the circuit.

World champion Fernando Alonso is favourite for pole position having set the second fastest time by a race driver in practice on Friday.